Means for preadjusitng pattern frames



MEANS FOR PR m h m Oct. 6, 1964 Filed Fb. 26, 1962 171 V8 7770)- Jean Sal/121? Award {g Oct. 6, 1964 Filed Feb. 26, 1962 MITT G PATTERN FRAMES J. SCH MEANS FOR PREADJUSTIN FOR PRINTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,151,40i9 NiEANS FOR PREADJUSHNG PATTERN FES FOR f TDJG MACHENES This invention relates to the technique of printing patterns on sheet materials, such as webs of fabric and the like, utilizing printing machines having a table or equivalent supporting surface on which the sheet to be printed on is applied, and wherein pattern frames, carrying desired patterns to be reproduced, e.g. by stencil or other means, are applied to the sheet on the supporting surface at accurately predetermined locations thereon during a printing operation.

In such printing processes it is of extreme importance that the pattern frame be carried at a highly accurate position on the machine during each printing step and should retain such position from one step to the next. This is of especial importance in connection with multicolour printing processes wherein a plurality of different pattern frames, each provided with a partial pattern corresponding to one of a plurality of different colours, are to be applied in accurately registering positions upon the sheet, since otherwise objectionable colour overlap would occur.

Accordingly, conventional printing machines are provided with attaching elements, e.g. pins upstanding from opposite sides of the machine frame and removably engageable by apertured adjusting members provided on each frame for locating the position of the frame during a printing step. The attaching elements are adjustably positionable on the machine frame, both longitudinally and transversely, by means such as micrometer screws. Prior to starting printing operations, each frame is positioned on the machine with its attaching members in engagement with the attaching elements on the machine, and test prints are performed (ordinarily using easily erasable colour powder rather than the final dyes or inks), which serve to adjust the attaching elements on the machine in their precise locations in the desired register with the web of material, as well as with the print produoed by a preceding colour pattern in the case of multicolour prints.

These adjusting operations are tedious and time consuming. During such operations the printing machines are tied up and unproductive so that the output is slowed down considerably. They are quite delicate to perform properly and require specially trained personnel. It is especially important to note that each time a new frame is adjusted, the adjustment for the previous frame is destroyed, so that in cases, e.g. where the production of a printing shop alternates between a number of different series of prints, as often happens, there is no available means of automatically return ng to a previously effected adjustment of the machine without going through the whole adjusting process all over again.

Objects of this invention are to provide new and improved method and means of print register adjustment in printing processes of the class stated above. More specific objects are to provide such method and means whereby part or all of the following advantages will be attained:

The adjusting operations are all performed on a special apparatus or jig separate from the machine, whereby the machine itself can at all times be devoted to printing operations proper without any unproductive periods;

All adjusting operations can be completed beforehand and prior to commencing printing operations no matter how many different pattern frames (e.g. different colour patterns) the printing process is to involve, and the printing operations can thereafter proceed continuously and without interruptions for further adjustments;

Rather than adjusting the printing machine, the invention provides for pre-adjusting each individual frame, whereby a frame thus preadjusted possesses from that time on what may be called inherent adjustment, in that it can be shelved for an indefinite period of time while other series of prints, requiring differently adjusted frames, are being printed with the machine, and can then be removed from storage and reused again without requiring any further adjusting step;

The adjusting operations are considerably simpler than those currently required since they are performed on specially designed apparatus easier to manipulate than the printing machine itself, and higher accuracy is attainable;

Construction of the printing machine may be simplified by omitting the adjustable frame-attaching elements and associated micrometer adjusting means currently required;

Yet other objects and advantages may appear.

In brief, the invention is based on the concept of providing the frame-attaching elements (e.g. pins) carried by the machine, fixed rather than adjustable, and instead, providing the attaching members carried by each 'individual frame (such as apertured lugs engageable with the aforesaid pins) adjustable relative to the frame; and further, providing an adjusting apparatus or jig in the form of a table separate and distinct from the printing machine and having further attaching elements (e.g. pins) generally similar to the attaching elements carried by the machine, and positionable on the table to assume a relative geometric configuration congruent to (i.e. superpos able over) the fixed geometric configuration present between the attaching elements on the machine. It will be readily understood that with such an arrangement, the attaching elements on the adjusting table of the invention can first be preset to their reference position in which they form a configuration congruent to that of the attaching elements of the machine; then a frame to be adjusted can be positioned on the jig with its attaching members, then in loosened condition, being engaged with the attaching elements on the table; the frame may then be adjusted relative to said attaching members and the latter may be tightened on the frame so as to retain their requisite adjusted position indefinitely.

This simple procedure while basic to'the invention can be elaborated somewhat as will be described hereinafter in detail, as when it is required to obtain an accurate relative adjustment between a number of different pattern frames that are to produce registering, e.g. multi-colour, prints.

A detailed embodiment of the invention will now be described for purposes of illustration but not of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view of a pattern frame preadjusting apparatus according to the invention with a pattern frame thereon;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding view in side elevation; and

FIGS. 36 are larger-scale views in section on lines III-III, IVIV, V-V and VIVI of FIG. 1 respectively.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a frame adjusting apparatus or jig according to the invention comprises a table including a fiat table top 1 preferably made of ground glass sheet and supported on a rebated rectangular frame 2 which in turn may be supported above the ground by any suitable means such as the legs or uprights 3. Lighting means, generally indicated at 4, are preferably positioned beneath the table to illuminate the translucent glass top thereof as shown.

Shown positioned upon the table top 1 is a pattern printing frame 7 of any conventional type that is to be adjusted by means of the device of the invention and shown as having four rectangular side members 11, 12, 16 and 17. A pattern sheet 8, e.g. of gauze or similar fabric, is stretched across the under side of the frame 7 by having the side edges of it secured or bonded to the side members of the frame by any suitable means in a manner apparent from FIG. 4. The pattern sheet 8 may have a stencil pattern formed thereon, and such pattern is indicated in FIG. 1 by way of example as consisting of a generally rectangular contour ABCD with two straight parallel longitudinal sides AC and BD and two similar wavy sides AB and CD.

The opposite longitudinal sides 11 and 12 of the frame 7 are provided With attaching members or clamps, shown herein as including a single clamp 13 mounted substantially centrally of frame side member 11, and a pair of clamps 14 and 15 mounted in spaced relation on the opposite frame side member 12. Each clamp 13, 14, 15 is generally T-shaped, and is adapted to be secured to the related frame member 11 or 12 in a position susceptible of a substantial, though limited, degree of translational and angular adjustment within the general plane of the frame 7. A simple mounting means for achieving this purpose comprises as shown a pair of screws such as 21 and 22 extending through holes 23 and 24 (see FIG. formed in the clamp (such as the clamp 14 shown in FIG. 5) said holes being substantially larger in diameter than the diameter of the screws. The screws engage threaded apertures formed in fixed positions in the side members 12 and 11 of the frame 7. Washers 25, 26 are preferably interposed between the head of each screw 21, 22 and the surface of the related clamp 13, 14 or 15.

Formed through the outwardly projecting middle leg of each T-shaped clamp 13, 14 or 15 is a hole through which extends a pin, e.g. 31 (FIG. 4) projecting upwardly from a slider strip, e.g. 32, of trapezoidal or dovetail cross section slidable in a complementary groove or way formed in a slat 33 extending along the upper surface of the corresponding side of the table frame 2 and longitudinally thereof. It will be understood that the two clamps 14 and 15 are attachable in the manner just described to a common dovetail slider strip 32 by way of the two pins 31 and 34 projecting upwards from said common strip at spaced points thereof, while on the other side of the table the outer end of the single T-clarnp 13 is similarly engageable by a pin 35 projecting upwardly from another slider strip 36 of dovetail cross section slidable in a groove formed in another slat 37 extending along the opposite side of the table frame 2.

Projecting from the upper surface of each of the two slider strips 32 and 36 is a stop finger 41 and 43 respectively, cooperating with a fixed stop, 42 and 44 respectively, projecting from the associated slat member 33 and 37. The arrangement is such that when the slider strips 32 and 36 are both positioned in their respective dovetail ways so that the stop fingers 41 and 43 of them are engaging the respective fixed stops 42 and 44 the set of three pins 31, 34 and 35 occupy a geometric configuration relative to one another, congruent to the configuration present between three corresponding positional pins fixedly mounted on the printing machine and serving for the attachment of the frame 7 to the machine.

Each of the sliders 32 and 36 is independently adjustable in longitudinal position along the corresponding dovetail grooved slat 33, 37, by means of a pair of longitudinally spaced set screws 46-47 and 48-49 respectively. Each of these screws, e.g. screw 46 (FIG. 3), is engaged through a threaded hole in the related slider so that its end can be made to engage the bottom of the associated dovetail groove. Thus when the screws are backed off to disengage the groove bottom the sliders 32, 36 are freely slidable in their grooves; screwing the screws into firm engagement with the groove bottom will block the slider in its adjusted position relative to its slat.

Each of the grooved slat members 33 and 37 in which the sliders 32 and 36 are slidable carries on its upper surface a linear calibrated scale 51 and 52 respectively. The longitudinal position of each slider 32 or 36 can be indexed and read with respect to this scale by noting the scale calibration adjacent an index secured to the slider, such index conveniently being provided by the aforementioned stop finger 41 or 43 respectively.

Whereas the grooved slat member 33 is preferably fixedly mounted on the table frame 2, the opposite slat member 37 is mounted on the table frame 2 for transverse adjustment across it towards and away from the slat 33, thereby to make allowance for varying frame widths. A convenient means of achieving this transverse or width adjustment is shown as comprising a pair of table cross members 55 and 56 extending across the table top at longitudinally spaced positions (FIG. 1), and each formed with a dovetail groove along part of its length. In each groove are received a pair of complementary wedge-shaped shims 57 (FIG. 6) which are slidable along the groove and can be blocked at a selected position in it by forcing the pair of shims apart by means of an associated screw stud 58 which extends freely through a hole formed in a block 61 or 62 secured to the slat member 37. Thus by releasing or tightening the nuts 63, 64 screwed on the upper ends of the studs 58, it is possible to adjust the position of the blocks 61 and 62 in the related grooves of members 55 and 56, and hence adjust the position of slat member 37 across the table, i.e. the transverse spacing between slat members 37 and 33, in accordance with the width of a particular frame 7 to be adjusted. Linear scales 66 and 67 carried by the cross members 55 and 56 serve to index the adjusted position of the slat member 37.

In operation, for adjusting a particular printing frame by the method of the invention, the first step is to adjust the spacing of slat member 37 from slat member 33 as just described. For this purpose the nuts 63, 64 are loosened and blocks 61 and 62 are displaced along their dovetail grooves in members 55 and 56 until the readings on both calibrated scales 66 and 67 accurately correspond to the width dimension of the frame being handled, whereupon the lock nuts 63 and 64 are screwed tight.

Next, both sliders 32 and 36 are shifted in their ways until the respective stop fingers 41 and 43 have engaged the fixed stops 42 and 44, and screws 46-47 and 48-49 are tightened to block the sliders in this, the reference position thereof.

The frame 7 which is to be adjusted is then placed upon the ground glass table top 1 with the three T-clamps 13, 14 and 15 thereof in a loose condition owing to the screws such as 21 and 22 having been preliminarily loosened, and the holes in the middle leg of each T-clamp is inserted over the respective pins 31, 34 and 35, projecting upwardly from the sliders blocked in their reference position. At this stage it will be appreciated that, whereas the outer ends of the T-clamps of the frame are fixed with respect to one another in the final mutual positions that they are to assume on the printing machine, the frame 7 is free to be adjusted a substantial (though limited) amount both translationally and angularly with respect to said positions.

Accordingly, the frame is now subjected to a preliminary adjusting step which will serve to bring the pattern ABCD on the stencil sheet supported by said frame to a squared position with respect to the table top. For this purpose the glass table top is preferably engraved with a set of parallel longitudinal lines such as the two lines 68 and 69 shown, and the frame is adjusted so as to bring a longitudinal line of the pattern, such as the line BD of the pattern in the example here shown, into parallel relationship with any one of these lines. Further, the table top is provided with a transverse reference line 70 and the frame side member 12 is shown as provided with a marker notch 71. The frame 7 is adjusted so as to bring the notch 71 into coincidence with transverse line 79 in addition to bringing the pattern line BD into parallel relati'on with the longitudinal lines 68, 69; the clamp screws such as 21, 22 of all three T-clamps 13, 14, 15 are then tightened to fix this preliminary adjusted position of the frame 7 relatively to the table, and an initial imprint of the pattern ED is made on the table top; conveniently, readily erasable coloured powder is used during this printing step rather than dye.

The set screws 46, 47, 48, 49 are now backed off to release the sliders 32 and 36 for sliding movement along their dovetail ways, and both sliders are shifted longitudinally (rightward in FIG. 1) together with the frame 7 fixedly carried across them by a distance corresponding to one step or pitch of the desired printing sequence on the machine. Another printing operation is performed in this further position, by the same procedure as before; the further printed pattern is indicated in FIG. 1 as ABCD'. The purpose of this further print is to deter mine whether the frame was properly adjusted at its initial position, and in the illustrated example this is in fact the case when the line AB' of the further print coincides exactly with the line CD of the first print. Should such accurate coincidence be observed, the adjustment of the frame is completed and the frame may be mounted on the printing machine.

It may be noted that at this stage the pitch or transfer distance may be very accurately determined by measuring the distance from the fixed stop 42 of the table frame to the position assumed by stop finger 41 when the frame is at its second printing position A'BC'D', i.e. to the finger position indicated in dotted lines at 41a. To effect such measurement the longitudinal scale 51 on member 33 may be used; if desired slider 32 may be provided with a Vernier scale for greater accuracy in the measurement. Alternatively a sliding caliper or gauge may be used for the same purpose. The measured transfer distance may then be used to adjust the conventional transfer stops on the printing machine table in accordance therewith.

If accurate register between the prints has not been achieved, i.e. if the two lines A'B' and CD are not found to coincide exactly, then the clamp screws such as 21 and 22 of the T-clamps are loosened again to restore freedom of adjustment to the frame 7, the frame is readjusted until the said pattern lines coincide accurately, and the clamping screws such as 21, 22 are re-tightened. This readjustment of the pattern with an existing print may be performed by a procedure generally similar to that conventionally used in adjusting printing machine frames upon the printing machine frame directly. The frame 7 is now accurately adjusted.

In the usual case where a plurality of pattern frames such as 7 carrying partial patterns of different colours to be printed in register at a common position of -a web of material are provided, then before the adjusted frame is removed from the jig 1 and mounted on the printing machine, a final reprint of the pattern thereof is effected in the initial or reference position, for comparison with the remaining color pattern frames to be subsequently adjusted on the jig as presently described. For this purpose, the slider set screws 4647 and 4849 are loosened, and the sliders 32, 36 are shifted back to their reference positions in the related dovetail grooves, and a final test print is effected (the initial print effected at the reference position at ABCD may preferably first be erased as by wiping off the colour powder). The adjusted pattern frame 7 is then removed by lifting it off bodily to disengage the T-clamps 13, 14, 15 from the pins 31, 34, 35, and may be mounted in printing position on the printing machine.

Without altering the positions of the said pins, each of the remaining color-pattern frames are then successively positioned by inserting the outer holes of the loosened T-cla-mps thereof over the pins 31, 34, 35, registering the frame patterns with the final test print derived from the initial adjusted frame, and tightening the clamp screws 21, 22. These colour pattern registering operations are facilitated by the illumination provided from below by the light source 4- through the ground glass table-top 1 of the jig.

It will be understood that printing frames once adjusted in the manner described above and positioned on the,

frame-carrier table of printing machines, Whether manual or automatic in character, will require no further adjustment of the machine table or any other parts of the machine in order to achieve an extremely precise register of the patterns with respect to the web, as well as register between respective partial patterns of different colour. The adjusted frames can be regarded as being inherently adjusted once for all with respect to a given printing machine so long as the same pattern is retained. Such adjusted frames are all times ready for mounting on the machine and for instant use in a printing operation without further adjustments of the frame on the machine, in contrast to the lengthy adjustments that had to be performed on the machine itself each time a frame was remounted thereon for a printing operation.

Another advantage of the preadjusting process and apparatus of the invention is that the lock-up time of printing machines previously required for performing preliminary adjusting tests is now completely eliminated. Further, the construction of the printing machines, specifically the frame carrier means thereof, is simplified in that the means, such as pins, provided thereon for receiving the frame clamps (corresponding to the T-clamps 13, 14, 15) may be provided fixed rather than adjustable.

Various modifications may be made in the illustrated apparatus and the steps of procedure described Without departing from the scope of the invention. Instead of the slider strip members such as 32, 36 on which the frames are clamped by means of the projecting pins 31, 34, 35, other traversing means may be used, in the form of slides or carriages, e.g. similar to those used on certain types of printing machines.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for preadjusting pattern frames prior to mounting the frames on a printing machine comprising a table; first and second attaching means removably engageable with complementary means on the frame and first and second slider means for supporting said first and second attaching means for longitudinal displacement along respective sides of the table; cooperating elements on said slider means and table for locating a predetermined reference position for said attaching means relative to one another; first and second scale means for indexing the longitudinal positions of said first and second slider means relative to the table; means for locking each of said slider means in an adjusted longitudinal position relative to the table; and further slider means mounting one of said first and second slider means for transverse movement across the table towards and away from the other of said first and second slider means.

2. Apparatus for preadjusting a pattern frame prior to mounting the same on the pattern frame supporting structure of a printing machine, said frame carrying apertured lugs each of which is removably attached to the frame by means of a clamping means permitting limited pivotal as well as translational adjustment of the lug relative to the frame in a plane passing therethrough to clamp the lug in adjusted position, said supporting structure including horizontally spaced vertical pins engageab-le each in an aperture of one of said lugs, respectively, to hold said frame in the correct printing position on said machine, said apparatus comprising a table having parallel longitudinal edges and parallel guide members extending re- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rudolf Aug. 30, Hidalgo May 6, Gorner July 21, Huebner Sept. 13, Dubuit Dec. 25, Heestand June 25, 

1. APPARATUS FOR PREADJUSTING PATTERN FRAMES PRIOR TO MOUNTING THE FRAMES ON A PRINTING MACHINE COMPRISING A TABLE; FIRST AND SECOND ATTACHING MEANS REMOVABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH COMPLEMENTARY MEANS ON THE FRAME AND FIRST AND SECOND SLIDER MEANS ON THE FRAME AND SECOND ATTACHING MEANS FOR LONGITUDINAL DISPLACEMENT ALONG RESPECTIVE SIDES OF THE TABLE; COOPERATING ELEMENTS ON SAID SLIDER MEANS AND TABLE FOR LOCATING A PREDETERMINED REFERENCE POSITION FOR SAID ATTACHING MEANS RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER; FIRST AND SECOND SCALE MEANS FOR INDEXING THE LONGITUDINAL POSITIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SLIDER MEANS RELATIVE TO THE TABLE; MEANS FOR LOCKING EACH OF SAID SLIDER MEANS IN AN ADJUSTED LONGITUDINAL POSITION RELATIVE TO THE TABLE; AND FURTHER SLIDER MEANS MOUNTING ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SLIDER MEANS FOR TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT ACROSS THE TABLE TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SLIDER MEANS. 